so the idea that the RN could help lift out the troops is almost laughable – what does Spit propose they do, sleep on the deck and tow life rafts behind? Like every other service the navy has been ‘boosted’ with political economies – if we had to retake the Falklands now approximately half the fleet would have to be cannibalised to keep the other half serviceable, the gates to navy establishments would have to be locked because of a lack of personnel to guard them, and the admirals would have to go peaked cap in hand to the Americans for certain munitions which were not replaced after Desert Storm… Throw the army and air force into the equation too – then ask how the troops would be transported down there (nearly every liner in the British merchant fleet is now American); there would be trouble at every turn.

Flood,

Excuse me while I defend the RN’s reputation here but I have to make the point that what you’ve written is inaccurate on so many levels as to defy belief!

The RN has an organic sealift capacity second only to the USN, afaik, that can be further boosted by the STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade) protocols that have been proven to be workable and effective many times in the last 25 years. Currently the RN enjoys the use, through a PFI, of the 6 brand-new EDDYSTONE Class Ro-Ro ships which, probably, have the capacity to lift out the entire UK contingent’s ‘heavy equipment’ in one go. People usually go out by air, but, a STUFT call up of three or four Stena Ro-Ro Ferries in addition to our amphib capability would, IMO, have little trouble evacuating all our people within a period of hours if such a need arose.

Short-notice retasking of half a dozen escorts, an SSN, and the duty carrier to provide cover for this sort of convoy is also something RN planning allows for and is something all operational vessels are prepared for as routine. The RN may not be the USN but I’d be interested to learn who you think, in that theatre, could get through a defensive screen of T42’s, T23’s and SK.AEW.7 backed SHAR’s to disrupt the withdrawal!. The Royal Fleet Auxilliary is also well equipped to support such a zero-notice deployment and practises for it regularly.

Perhaps a spot of reading is in order before firing up the whining circuits next time?